New charter on Lindale ballot seeks to give power to voters

By cclaiborne

Created 05/07/2012 - 9:25pm

Monday, May 7, 2012 - 9:25pm

LINDALE —
Since more than 5,000 East Texans now call Lindale home, City Administrator Owen Scott says now they can go from being a "general law" city to a "home ruled" city -- and he hopes the voters will agree.

"It gives the voters more power to rule themselves than the way it is now and anytime the voters have more power, I think the voters ought to vote for that," Scott said.

For Lindale, it basically means they will now be a City Manager/City Council form of government and something they think the voters will love...it will give elected officials term limits...

Scott says the way it is now, you could be mayor or a city council member for 50 years if you keep getting elected.

"But once you know that 'hey look, I've gotta do a good job, I've gotta look out for the citizens of Lindale, or they could just vote me out! They can't do that now -- but you can with a charter," Scott said.

KETK spoke with Bryan Walding, owner of Lindale Kwik Kar.

He thinks that sounds pretty good.

"Instead of getting lazy about what you're doing, you'll get more passionate and want to do a good job and actually care about what you're doing," Walding said.

Another thing the charter would change -- allowing recalls for elected officials they don't think are doing their jobs...

"Then if the citizens by petition, petition the council for recall of any particular elected official, then they have to declare a special election and let the voters decide if they want to keep them in or vote them out," Scott said.

"I think that's a great idea also because if we don't have that ability right now then...if you're...I mean, you can do whatever you want and that's not what the United States was founded on," Walding said.

Some of the other things on Lindale's ballot are city council place 3 and place 2...and the mayor's race.

City council member Robert Nelson is running uncontested for mayor, and the city says they believe he will be Lindale's first African American mayor..